Quiet Time

Daphne stopped taking naps about a month before Alex was born - and in some ways I feel like I haven't had a moment to myself since then! Of course that's not true, but except for that magic moment when everyone is finally in bed (or if I wake up early), I never know for sure if I will have any time during the day to myself. And when I do, it's because I've plugged the kids into a movie, computer or iPad, so I feel guilty the entire time and end up using the time to clean the house instead of reading a book or something else I would really like to do. So it's not especially enjoyable. Sometimes I stay up late just to have some "me time", but then I'm tired and grumpy all the next day from not getting enough sleep.

I know some families do "Quiet Time" but it was just another one of those things that I felt like I didn't have the energy to make happen in our house. I didn't think about it at the time Daphne was giving up naps, when it may have been easier to just transition from Nap Time to Quiet Time, so for a while I felt like it was too late.

Then, last week, I thought maybe Alex was ready to give up his nap as well. Luckily after four days without a nap it was pretty clear that he is NOT ready to go without one. Thank goodness! But it got me thinking about Quiet Time again and now I'm thinking at least it's worth a try!

So yesterday, after Alex went down for his nap, I told Daphne we were going to try something new, called "Quiet Time." She got tearful at first, thinking it was some kind of punishment. I tried to make it sound positive, I told her she could choose a toy to bring with her, and I told her it wouldn't be very long, I would set the kitchen timer for just five minutes and when she heard it beeping she could come out of her room. That's right - I said FIVE minutes! I wanted it to be a successful experience and I knew she could stay for that long. And she did. And she came down smiling and we talked about what we each did with our Quiet Time - she told me she just sat on her bed and held her doll. I told her I took care of Zoe.

Okay so it was only five minutes and it really wasn't even Quiet Time for me since Zoe was still awake. But I figure one of these days it will work out that Alex AND Zoe are sleeping and Daphne is in her room and I can have a few minutes to myself. I'm planning to add just ONE minute each day (so it's hardly even noticeable) until we get to a length of time that works for everyone. I would love to work up to an hour but I'll take what I can get. Even the five minutes yesterday, when Zoe was still awake, felt great because there was NO guilt. I think it's important for kids to learn to entertain themselves and have a quiet moment in their day, and I KNOW I feel better after such a break. So I felt like I was doing something good for all of us.

Plus I figure when Alex really IS done with naps, if I can get Daphne into the habit of taking Quiet Time now, then he will see that it's just how we do things in our family so his transition (hopefully) won't be too difficult. Sometimes the fact that he wants to do EVERYTHING his big sister does can be frustrating, but in this case it could definitely be an advantage. And by the time Zoe is done with naps, well, Quiet Time will just be a way of life around here! (I hope, I hope, I hope!)